As Kamala Harris conceded the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, her family and closest supporters gathered in an emotional scene at Howard University in Washington, D.C., her alma mater. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, visibly devastated, held back tears as his wife thanked him and their family, saying, “To my beloved Doug and our family, I love you so very much.” Beside him stood Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who also appeared deeply moved, clasping his hands and bowing his head as Harris delivered her remarks. The two men shared a somber embrace, a quiet moment amid a crowd of tearful supporters.
Video of Tim Walz crying because he lost 🤣 pic.twitter.com/fOEb78ahwm
— TheStormHasArrived (@TheStormRedux) November 6, 2024
It was a tough night for the Democrats, with Harris acknowledging the campaign’s defeat after Trump swept five of seven key swing states and neared the 300-electoral-vote mark. She addressed her supporters with a heavy heart, noting, “This is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for.” Harris’s voice trembled at times as she expressed gratitude for the trust her supporters had placed in her and spoke of her continued resolve: “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.”
Tim Walz is crying because he’s never going to the White House, Doug Emhoff is crying because he’s never going to be the First Husband, and Ella Emhoff is crying because she’s never going to anyone at all… pic.twitter.com/w8FEanPAOg
— 𝔹𝕦𝕕 & ℂ𝕒𝕤𝕖𝕪… (@bud_cann) November 7, 2024
Harris struck a gracious tone as she accepted the outcome, promising a peaceful transfer of power and expressing pride in the values her campaign represented. “Look, I am so proud of the race we ran. And the way we ran it,” she said, rallying her supporters to respect the result despite the heartbreak. She also thanked President Joe Biden, her family, her campaign team, and her supporters, giving special recognition to the countless volunteers who had been with her every step of the way.
Tampon Tim Walz is crying at Kamala’s concession speech.
All the joy is gone
— Cash Loren (@CashLorenShow) November 6, 2024
Throughout her speech, Harris emphasized unity and resilience, assuring her audience that “the light of America’s promise will always burn bright.” In a display of bipartisanship, she revealed that she had already spoken with President-Elect Trump to congratulate him and pledged to work with his team to ensure a smooth transition. President Biden followed by extending his own call to Trump and inviting him to the White House, underscoring the importance of a seamless transfer of power.
Hard to express how stupid it was for someone as flawed as Kamala Harris to pick this guy as her VP. pic.twitter.com/sEKNhL2TKi
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) November 6, 2024
As Harris delivered her concession, the atmosphere on campus was bittersweet. Campaign aides and supporters, including prominent figures like Jen O’Malley Dillon and David Plouffe, exchanged hugs and supportive words. A DJ played upbeat tracks in the background, but the mood was solemn, with supporters quietly reflecting on what could have been. Many had held onto last-minute hopes as reports surfaced about unexpected high turnout in places like Philadelphia and uncounted votes in Detroit. Yet, in the end, Harris fell short of the necessary votes, losing Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania—the “blue wall” that had given Biden the White House in 2020.
